Key Points
- The AEC provides tools to help you find your electorate and polling centre
- Multiple voting options are available before and on election day
- Voting information is available in multiple languages
- The AEC provides a telephone interpreter service to help you cast your vote
In Australia, we have an independent body that manages the electoral system. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) ensures that all eligible citizens have the chance to help shape our federal government.
Identify your electorate
There are 151 federal electoral divisions in Australia. The AEC provides an online tool to help identify which electorate you live in. Visit .
Find your polling place
The AEC runs thousands of in schools, community centre, churches, and other venues on election day, explains Jess Lilley, Spokesperson for the AEC.
“You’ll be able to input your suburb and postcode, and our tool will help you find who your candidates are and where you can vote.”
The easiest way to vote is to go to your local polling place on election day. Elections fall on a Saturday.
Mobile teams also visit voters in residential care, remote communities, hospitals, and prisons.
Voting in your language
You are permitted to have someone accompany you if you need help. A is also available to help you cast your vote in your language.
Other ways to vote
Early voting centres open in the weeks leading up to polling day.
“This year it’s going to be really open, given the COVID circumstances,” says Ms Lilley. “We’ll offer the postal vote option for people who don’t feel comfortable going to a polling place, or live or work remotely and need to access our postal voting services.”
Those isolating due to COVID can access the AEC’s telephone voting system.
AEC’s services will be available in the weeks following the election announcement.
Remote Polling Source: AEC
Interstate and overseas voting
If you plan to be interstate you can use a postal vote or visit an interstate voting centre.
You can also vote if you are overseas. are available on the AEC website, alongside options that cater for your individual circumstances. Some Australian High Commissions provide voting centres.
Information distribution
Political parties and independents often distribute voting information outside polling places. Don’t let them mislead you, says electoral analyst William Bowe.
Parties hand out ‘how to vote’ cards at polling booths on election day that recommend you fill out your ballot paper a certain way. You don’t have to vote that way. It’s just a recommendation.
Ballot paper Source: AEC
Casting your vote
You will receive one green and one white ballot paper.
Green ballot
The green ballot paper is to vote for one candidate in your electorate to join the House of Representatives (the Lower House of parliament). There are currently 151 seats in the House of Representatives, representing each electorate.
“While people usually think of an election in terms of choosing the national leader, the national leader [Prime Minister] will be the leader of the party who wins the most seats in parliament,so you will not be voting for that leader directly,” says Mr Bowe.
The party that wins the most seats in the Lower House forms government.
To vote on the green ballot you write the number ‘1’ next to your preferred candidate, then ‘2’ next to your second choice and continue until all the boxes are numbered.
White ballot
The white ballot paper is to elect one of 76 seats in the Senate (Upper House). You will vote to elect a senator from your own state or territory.
Voting for the Senate is slightly different, explains Mr Bowe.The enormous ballot papers can look daunting as they include all candidates for your state.
“But voting can be quite simple. There are two ways you can do it. There are boxes above the line and boxes below the line. Above the line there is one for each party. The quickest and simplest way to vote is to pick your six favourite parties and number them in order of your preference from one to six. If you are particular about which candidates you want to vote for, you can number a lot more boxes below the line. If you vote below the line, you must number at least 12 boxes.”
Numbering the boxes in your preferred order aims to make your vote go further. This is called ‘preferential voting’.
“If the person you vote number one is struck out of the count, then your vote will flow onto your next preference, and so on, until it is counted towards a candidate,”says Evan Ekin-Smyth, Spokesperson for the AEC.
While queuing at your polling centre you might see a fundraising stall selling sausages in bread. This is fondly known as the ‘democracy sausage Source: AAP Image/James Ross
Informal votes
Be sure to follow the voting instructions carefully. If your ballot paper isn't completed correctly, it becomes an ‘informal vote’ and is not counted towards the election result.
What happens if you don’t vote?
Voting is compulsory. Valid reasons for not voting are at the discretion of the AEC who will assess your specific circumstances. The AEC understands that some people who are overseas may not be able to vote, for example.
“If anybody enrolled doesn’t vote, they could be issued with a non-voter notice,” explains Mr Ekin-Smyth. “If you have a valid reason, that’s fine. You just let us know. Otherwise, you pay the $20 fine. If we don’t get a response, you could end up in court with a $170 fee plus court costs.”
The real penalty however is missing out on having your say, so always do some research and turn up to cast an informed vote.
AEC disinformation register
The AEC is independent and impartial, and the election process is extremely robust. The AEC has launched its to address misleading and deceptive information surrounding the Australian election process.
